A marker has been put down by Sheffield United and a message sent to Leeds United, among other rivals, after they went three points clear on Saturday. Goalkeeper Michael Cooper feels their latest win, extending their unbeaten run to 10 matches, shows their team is not at the Championship’s summit by chance.

Only Burnley have conceded fewer goals than the Blades as the season approaches its halfway mark and Cooper has emerged as one of the best stoppers in the division. Expected goals data suggests Cooper should have conceded 14.7 strikes this season, when he has actually only let in nine.

In other words, he has actively prevented 5.7 goals from going in this season. Only Stoke City’s Viktor Johansson and Blackburn Rovers’ Aynsley Pears have performed better between the sticks in the Championship this season.

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Speaking after the weekend win over his former club, Plymouth Argyle, Cooper said: “It reflects how hard we’ve been working, how focused we’ve been, sends a message out to the other teams in the league. [We are] not here by chance, we are really trying to keep getting results, plugging away.”

Since being comprehensively outplayed at Elland Road on October 18, Chris Wilder’s side went to Middlesbrough and lost, but then carved out this 10-game unbeaten streak. There have been eight wins and two draws since October 26.

The official gap to Leeds is three points, but the Sheffield outfit were, of course, docked two points before the campaign started. Burnley are a further point back in third, with Sunderland fourth another point behind them.

Blackburn, who have a game in hand to play, are three points behind the Black Cats in fifth.